


Wallflowers

by Elise_the_Writing_Desk



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Normal High School, Cute, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-04 00:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21188765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elise_the_Writing_Desk/pseuds/Elise_the_Writing_Desk
Summary: For the longest time, Takamaki Ann can see a wall around her that separates her from even her closest friends. One rainy day, she sees a kindred spirit in the park. She knows Amamiya Ren is lonely, and she was not expecting for anything to change as she offered him her umbrella. She never knew that he's been in love with her since.And then, they end up being classmates. Suddenly, those walls disappear.





	Wallflowers

It’s a rainy spring season. Although it was a gentle drizzle, the front of the diner was crowded, as there were no seats left inside. Luckily for Shiho, she had a dib on a booth for herself and her friend, Ann who was running a bit late.

And then several booths away from hers, the raven-haired girl noticed a familiar face that made her hid her face behind the menu—because it was so awkward to see someone from school on a day off—though perhaps that was pointless. The guy she was familiar with was currently having a heated discussion with his partner across of him.

Shiho was nervous—she was curious, but she also didn’t want them to meet eyes. Luckily, the bell chime and the server welcomed someone; Takamaki Ann, her dearest best friend. Now for some reason, her nervousness earlier returned and distracted her from the other couple.

“You’re so late!”

“Sorry! I missed a stop.” Ann giggled, stashing her umbrella to the side of the table, where a small umbrella holder had been provided beneath. She took a seat and quickly ordered a parfait.

Shiho couldn’t help but laugh at her friend, who didn’t even blink ordering a sweet cold dessert on a rainy day, and her heart was warmed when those blue gaze gave her the full attention that reminded her of her mission of the day.

“So…I am dating Ryuji.”

Ann merely blink with eyes slightly wide. Shiho wanted to give up immediately.

“Ohh…Congratz, Shiho-chan!” she reacted in a delayed time, and Shiho couldn’t help but groan.

“Aren’t you like—I don’t know? Weirded out? Are you not going to say; _what!? Ryuji!?_ Or…_No way! Nooo! I’m gonna be lonely!_”

“Ehh? I guess I joke around with Ryuji, but we all know he’s a good guy. I’m sure he’s going to treat you well. And I bet if both of you have problems you’re both gonna be passive aggressive and whine to me like some sort of a messenger app.”

Yeah. Shiho gave up and let out a long sigh. Sometimes she forgot that Ann was kinda like this…The blonde loves watching movies and squeal at romantic stuff, and she even has stuff like ships or OTP but always thinks of herself as an observer and never really put herself into such a situation.

Being super beautiful, caring, perhaps Ann’s tendency to be quite slow in the romance department had balanced it all out. Like, she _knew_ and was happy if others are in love, but whenever Shiho told her that this or that dude likes her, she had this look on her face that said ‘Huh. Weird.’ And sometimes, _just sometimes_, Shiho wants to yank her friend and give her a good shake.

SLAP

The diner was momentarily silent as a loud, painful sound rings through the place. For a milisecond there, people couldn’t help but glance at the source, yet being Japanese, on reflex and swiftly they all pretended they didn’t hear anything, even though the rumbling noises of converstation becomes noticeably lower.

“I don’t need you anymore.” Shiho heard the cold feminine voice from the booth she saw earlier. A punk-rock dressed lady then strode out of the diner, leaving the familiar teen alone, half of his face red from the brutal slap.

“Wahh…again?” Shiho couldn’t help but hiss. Ann, who was distracted by her parfait, took a while to respond.

“Hmm? Again? Do you know him, Shiho?”

“Jeez, Ann-chan…He’s Amamiya Ren, top three in our grade!”

Ann glanced at the guy who just sat there with an empty smile.

“Oh, yeah, I’ve seen him!”

Shiho gives her a doubting stare. Due to her appearance, Ann used to had a hard time with the oncoming attention, which was mostly bad ones. In the past year since entering Shujin, she had been strange and had a tendency to ignore things out of her scope. That, and since the first time Shiho befriended Ann, she had always been enclosing herself, and Shiho learned that Ann didn’t really like making friends after having moved around so much in her childhood. She had cried too much saying goodbye to friends.

“Rumor has it that in the past few weeks, Niijima-senpai had punched him in the gut, and Ryuji told me that last month when Kawakami-sensei called in sick, it was after a fight.”

Ann hummed, shoving a spoonful of the sweetness into her mouth.

“Did he owe them money?”

_Why is that your first conclusion to jump to!?_

“I think…well it’s just a speculation…but they were dating him.”

“All of them?”

“Yeah.”

“Like a harem?”

“Yeah—_no!_ Ann! He’s cheating!” Shiho huffed, and then it was an instant regret, because right beside their booth, the man of the show just passed. Though he absolutely just walked past them, Shiho knew that she’d be in the agony of wondering if he heard her at all.

“Hmm.” Ann tried to dig what’s left of her empty parfait glass. “That’s just a speculation, right?”

Shiho gave her friend a wry smile. If anything the two of them had learned about life, rumors and speculation could never be comparable to the truth. They also hated the phrase ‘there can’t be a rumor if there’s no cause’ or ‘rumors can’t be that far from the truth’. So she nodded.

“You can’t be more right, Ann-chan.”

“Hehe.”

“Fine! Today’s my treat, so order something else.”

~.X.~

Sometimes Shiho says that Ann is a bit slow about romance, but Ann doesn’t think so at all. She knows that Ryuji and Shiho had always had a thing, even way before she befriended them in middle school. She wasn’t worried about relationships making things change, or that she might be left out. After all, she’s used to being an outsider.

Shiho and Ryuji were close enough for her. Ann loves them a lot and she’s happy for them. Hopefully they will finally stop secretly chatting to her about the other party.

Though Ann wondered if she could ever shake off this strange feeling. This strange invisible wall…she never knew when it existed. Sometimes being within it was comfy. And sometimes…sometimes it made her feel like she’s not there. Invisible. In a terrible way. As if she was disappearing.

So when she saw him, she instantly could see it. The wall. And he seemed as confused as she was. The drizzling rain was the only thing that could touch him, and he just sat there at the bench in the park, as if basking on the rain, because that might be the only thing that could go past those walls.

_He could get sick, though_.

Ann pulled on her hoodie up her head before walking towards the park and lifted her umbrella above the raven-haired boy.

He looked up, and stared at her upside down. She smiled to him politely.

“You’ll get cold.”

She told him to hold onto it, since she’s going on a cab. He might be too taken aback to say anything, but she couldn’t wait for him, because the cab had arrived and she had to go.

Ann didn’t know that what she did was such a big deal for the boy.

~.X.~

April. The start of a new term. Ann missed one of the towns she used to live in, which was Tatsumi Port Island. Her parents used to work near a high school, and they lived there for a short three months around the same month. The cherry blossoms at that time was breath taking, it was something straight out of a _shojo manga_.

But Shujin…Well, Tokyo. It’s a suffocating place sometimes. The school had high walls, and they mainly had buildings compared to outdoor facilities. The outdoor courtyard was tiny that the track team had to run around the school gate ever since their field was taken to build a new practice building.

But here, she had friends, and everyone were relatively okay to her. She doesn’t care, and she planned to continue on to her final years this way, just gradually disappearing in the background.

Well…that was the plan…

In her first year she sorta faintly remembered of this element in statistic called ‘an outlier’. A deviating data so far from the common ground. An X factor. A force majeure.

For some reason, when Amamiya Ren came to her class, she, who barely passed that subject last year, could remember that bit.

“Takamaki-san, we’re in the same class!” he smiles gladly, and pulls out an umbrella from his bag. “I’ve been holding onto this. Thank you very much.”

_The walls…there’s no walls around him anymore_.

That year, Shiho is in a different class, as well as Ryuji. Both of them are in sports club, and nationals were coming up, so Ann was prepared that she’d be alone even during lunchbreak. And yet, Amamiya asked her if the seat behind her was taken. When she answered that it’s empty, and he cheerfully drops his bag there, she thinks that’s it.

“Please take care of me, Takamaki-san.”

“Oh, uh. Me as well!”

“Are Suzui-san and Ryuji in this class?”

“No…Do you know them?” She can’t help but fully turn to face him. She rarely knows anyone talking about her friends—well, people other than those two rarely talks to her…

“I’m friends with Ryuji, last year, actually. We’re in the same class.” He smiles when he answers, a finger scratching his cheek lightly. “I guess he hates the other guys because they always ask him to hook them up with you…I’m glad that he’s now with Suzui-san, even though he’s been whining every weekend.”

“Ah! So he’s doing it to you too?”

“Too? You as well?”

“Oh don’t get me started! Those two…” Ann laughs and begins telling him that they will fume over petty things like ‘why did Ryuji have to talk about my legs’ or ‘Shiho says I need to color my hair again, is she into dark-haired guys now?’.

“Does he also call Shiho _turnip legs _when talking to you?”

“Yes. _Yes_. That mustard hair, I swear!”

“Hahaha! Mustard hair? Now that’s new.”

So weird. What is this? Ann can’t stop talking to him. She never knew that talking to someone is this easy—it’s almost scary. She wonders if she’s talking too much.

“You’re surprisingly easy to talk to.” Amamiya seems to have the same thoughts as her.

“I’m more surprised than you.” She admits sheepishly.

When they’re calmer from the excitement of gossiping about their friends, she realizes that the class is full, and she can’t help but notice the glances averted from them.

When a certain frizzy haired teacher enters the class, Ann realizes that Kawakami-sensei is going to be their homeroom teacher. She tries so hard not to turn to look at Amamiya behind her, when the teacher just nonchalantly walks in and announces that the second year is starting. Even as she takes attendant and calls out Amamiya’s name, there seems to be nothing strange between them. Though the rest of the class undeniably were waiting with bated breath to see any hint of reaction.

“Our schedule is packed this year.” Amamiya comments thoughtfully during lunchbreak, staring at their academic calendar. “Takamaki-san, are you not having lunch with Suzui-san?”

Ann, who’s glumly checking her phone, shakes her head. “Shiho and Ryuji have extra practice at least until spring nationals are over.” She drops her head to her desk.

“Uhm…”

Honestly, she’s used to this, so it’s fine. Ann feels sleepy, and she plans to sleep through lunchbreak for a while now. Maybe if Shiho and Ryuji stop inviting her for lunch, she’s also prepared. It’s just two more years…

“Do you want melon pan? I bought these from Shibuya station.”

Ann quickly sits up to turn. Well, she can’t help but feel craving whenever sweets are mentioned.

“Yes! But what do you have for lunch?” she asks, when accepting the wrapped melonpan.

“Nahh, I’m good.”

She hums when he leans his chin to his hand and smiles at her as if waiting for her to eat it. Ann grinned and happily opens the wrapper and halves the bread before handing one half for him.

“Well then you’re now my lunch friend, Amamiya.” She says, “I like eating together.”

Amamiya accepts the bread and quietly stares at it as if it’s an alient object. His dark grey gaze returns to her, and Ann decides to take a bite.

_Oh! It’s so…fluffy…_

“So good!” she moans blissfully, and then looks at Amamiya expectantly.

He chuckles and takes a bite as well, humming with a nod. “Mm. It’s good.”

“Right?”

It’s strange. Just strange. But it feels strangely right. Ann wonders if it’s okay if things are this easy. Was it friendship? Was it also this way with Shiho and Ryuji? She’s been with them so long she couldn’t remember. But it wasn’t like this. With Shiho and Ryuji…it was gradual. They didn’t judge her and patiently talk to her and spend time with her until they all open up to each other.

Yet, with Amamiya…

It was fun. So fun. It feels natural beside him, sharing lunch. She likes bringing lunch now because he rarely brings any. Usually Shiho would pester her to bring something or Ryuji will grab something for her to eat. But Ann can’t wait to eat with Amamiya.

The first week was just lunch and occasional gossip. They also exchange music taste. He seems surprised that Ann really likes A Day to Remember. She’s more surprised to know that he likes Phillarmonic. It’s a little funny that their music taste are quite the opposite of their appearance, but that makes her even more charmed by the raven-haired boy.

“I can totally see you in a conductor suit though. Yeah! Makes sense.” Ann hums.

“Haha! Well you’re the type that will definitely look stunning doing headbangs in rock concerts.” He is laughing but it seems upon remembering his compliment to her, the blush floods onto his face.

“Hehehe! You’re making me shy.” She grins, twirling with her pigtails.

Second week in, it just feels so natural when he shows her some new bakery and they hang out after school to line for a piece of red velvet. Amamiya Ren currently lives with his uncle and cousin. His cousin is a recluse and should be attending the first year, but she’s actually just a gremlin. Ann laughs hearing him call anyone a gremlin, and with a fond face at that.

She even forgot when they exchanged LINE Ids, they’re already exchanging deepfried memes or screenshots from Ryuji and Shiho.

Ann notices, one sunny day when they shared the limited yakisoba bread, that she hasn’t been seeing the walls. It’s also been very easy to talk to the others in class. Perhaps they’re having so much fun that the others could see that they’re just normal people.

_Or perhaps it’s me that realize that they’re the normal ones?_

_Maybe the walls…are not real._

“There’s this thing I wanna try…” Ren says when the tune they were listening, _Retour_, fades into silence. “I’m going to ask you some questions, and then we’re stare into each other’s eyes for four minutes.”

“Oooh! What’s gonna happen then?”

“Hmm…who knows?”

Ann tilts her head, and then nods. It didn’t sound harmful, so she can do that much for him.

“Favorite color?”

“I love all!”

“What’s your favorite celebrity, Ren?”

“Hmm is saying Keanu Reeves a meme? Heath Ledger.”

“Favorite food?”

“Hmm…I eat everything. I don’t have a favorite. What about you, Ann?”

“Nggghhhh….hnnn….I like…too many things.”

They continue back and forth until Ren exhausts all the questions on his list, and finally, they stare quietly into each other’s eyes. Ann finds this curious and slightly embarrassing. And…strangely it gets even more embarrassing as seconds passed, because now she notices that Ren has long lower lashes and cat-like eyes.

_He’s very pretty. A pretty boy._

And his eyes…those dark grey eyes have numerous shades of darkness as it gets closer to the dark center.

_Like gemstones_.

“They’re like gemstones…”

…

…

_Did I say that out loud_?

Her question is quickly answered when she notices that Ren backs away, hiding his mouth and nose with one hand, averting his gaze. His face was visibly red up to his ears.

“Uh…I slipped up, didn’t I?” he awkwardly laughs. “They’re…they’re so pretty. Your eyes.”

Ann feels her face heating up as well. “Y-You averted your gaze!”

“Gah!” Ren facepalms. “Sorry…I got embarrassed.” He sighs, looking slightly dejected.

Suddenly their timer finally beeps, and he frustratedly turns it off. Ann is confused seeing him that way, but more than that, she feels super strange.

_It’s so warm today_.

~.X.~

And before she can even wrap it around her head, midterm has passed.

Ann never knew that she’d be looking forward to go to school for this long. Even in the past she felt that way when befriending Shiho and Ryuji, but it didn’t take long, they just became a reason for her to hold on.

Well, all in all, the competition season has ended, as well as first exams. So Shiho excitedly glomps at her, and Ryuji follows behind with a bag of breads.

“Oooh! Renren! I forgot you’re in this class too.”

“Did you even see the rosters in the first place?” Ren chuckles.

“Hng…finally hell is over!” Shiho sighs, leaning to sit on her friend’s lap.

“Congratz for the victory, guys!” Ann cheers, and they smile at her with bright grin.

They talk about class and homework for a bit, before Shiho grabs onto her arm.

“So, we having lunch?”

“Oh, yeah. I brought some.” Ann pulls out her bag of lunchbox, finding it natural to do nowadays.

“Hee! You cook now?”

“Waahh! Ann-chan! I’m so proud of you.”

“Jeez, I’ve been doing this for a while! Right, Ren?”

“Ann cooks really good tamagoyaki.”

“Hahaha! Flatterer! I forced him to eat all my failed attempts before I perfected it.”

Ryuji and Shiho fall quiet watching the small banter between the two, and they exchange meaningful glances. They love Ann, and they’ve been somewhat worried that she’d fall into gloominess having to spend most of her time at school alone. Even as they practice, they just want to hurry it up and try to spend time with her after school or sometime in weekends.

Of course they notice that she’s more cheerful and chipper than usual, but she doesn’t tell them anything. And they know, she’s not being distant at all. She just doesn’t think of it something newsworthy, or perhaps even explainable. Or maybe she just thinks it’s not a big deal for them.

At first it felt dejectful, but they truly didn’t know how to get around whatever it was that prevented Ann from opening up. Yet, now she just brightly smile at them and spill everything…but it was all happening when Amamiya Ren is near.

They’ve heard rumors. How couldn’t they, the guys in their own respective classes had been asking if Takamaki Ann has been dating someone. Now actually seeing the two, Ryuji and Shiho was not surprised those rumors were around.

But they’re not dating.

_Idiots_. Shiho thinks to herself.

“Are you guys dating?” Ryuji just frankly asked.

_Ah. I forgot this one._ Shiho clicks her tongue at Ryuji sharply.

Instantly, the cheery atmosphere dies. The blonde and the raven-haired are just so surprised with the question that red literally fills them up like watercolor paint.

She stands up and drags her boyfriend with a scary smile.

“You know what, maybe today’s not a good day!”

“What? Why not?” Ryuji asks cluelessly. Soon he choked when his girlfriend tightens the grip on the back of his collar.

“Yeah, we’re gonna have a lovey-dovey lunch somewhere else! Sorry!”

“Gack! You’re killing me! Shi-chan!”

The door slides close, yet silence still overcomes the two of them. Ann stares down at her lunchbox on her desk.

_Dating…? Ren and I?_

For some reason, Ann can see it again.

The walls. But it’s so much smaller than in the past, it’s like she’s in a phone booth. She huffs and stands up.

“Ann.” He calls for her, and she feels that strange feeling again. “Are you okay?”

She turns to him with a sheepish smile.

The walls…they’re not around him. But they’re so close to her.

“I need to do girl stuff.”

“Ah, okay. Comeback soon.”

Ann doesn’t return until the bell rings.

~.X.~

Ann wondered if the walls will disappear after a good night’s sleep. But it was there again in the morning. Maybe if she sees Ren it’ll disappear again.

That’s what she expected, and she was going to greet him as she saw him taking out his uwabaki from his shoe locker, when a senior walks close to him and they chat for a bit. Ren laughs, shaking his head, and she smirks at him. That’s Niijima-senpai…

_Didn’t she punched him in the gut_?

Ann sneaks to her locker, opens it, and then stares at the pair of uwabaki inside.

What Ryuji had asked the other day…

And what Shiho speculated that time before school began…

Ann puts a hand on her chest. That weird feeling is stinging her within. And the walls squeezes in. She can’t lie, she’s feeling slightly frantic. What if she’s running out of air? What if the walls suffocates her?

_We’re friends. And we’ll never be more than friends. I don’t care if what Shiho thought of is not true. If it is true, then it’s best that we’re just friends, right? Yeah. We’re just friends! We’re friends. Ren and I are friends. Good friends._

“…Ann. Morning. Hello? Ann?”

“Wah! Oh. Hey Ren.” Ann giggles nervously and closes her locker. “Sorry I was spacing out. Let’s go.”

Ren stares at her, hums.

“You sure did space out. You didn’t even wear your uwabaki.”

“Oh shoot.”

“Amamiya. Don’t forget after school—Oh, you’re talking, sorry.” Now it’s Kawakami-sensei who was about to come up to him, and stops upon seeing Ann.

_Why are you stopping!? We’re just friends!_

“It’s fine!” Ann quickly chirps out and pushes him to the older woman. She quickly grabs her uwabaki, wears it, keeps her sneakers and locks them in before rushing away.

~.X.~

“Did I do something wrong?”

That day, the walls are very much suffocating, and having Ren corner her like this during lunchbreak, when she had deliberately tried to escape to toilet, was not helping. He waited for her outside, even after the bell rings.

“We’re late to class.” Ann points out.

“We’re skipping.” Ren decides sharply, eyes intensely at her. “Tell me. What’s wrong? Did I make a mistake? I’ll fix it.”

“What…” Ann is so confused hearing his words. “Why would you think that? You don’t need to fix anything!”

“Then why are you trying to avoid me?” Ren asks, and the last two words he said made her skin prickle.

“I’m not, I’m just feeling bad for a bit!” she shakes her head, making her locks sway along.

But as she lied, the walls are trapping her in further.

Because she has a lot of questions. Yet at the same time, she doesn’t care, and she doesn’t want to know. But she wants to make sure. But she’s scared. What if she asks and he thinks of her weirdly? What if she asks, and she hates the answer?

_Why am I like this? I hate it! I don’t want this_.

Ren hears footsteps coming to the empty hallway, so he quickly grabs her by the wrist, and they climb upstairs. They come out to the rooftop, and the door closes behind them.

He doesn’t let go of her hand, rather, his grip slightly tightens into a gentle squeeze.

“I’m not overthinking.” He declares. “Don’t say that I am, if you’re thinking it. I…I feel strange. I don’t want you to do that to me, Ann. I’m not overthinking. You’re not like the usual Ann.”

“It’s not because of you.” Ann quickly says. Which might be half of the truth…well she doesn’t know anything anymore.

“Then why aren’t you looking at my face?”

Ann tries to prove him wrong, but when she tries to look at him, for some reason his face laughing with Niijima-senpai flashes in her mind, and those goddamn walls are choking her, she can’t help but groans and holds onto her chest.

“It’s…suffocating to look at your face.” She honestly says, and as the words leave her mouth, the squeeze relents. But she feels as if she’s almost crying. She absolutely can’t bring herself to look at his face now.

“Why…Why is that?”

“I don’t know…I saw you laughing with Niijima-senpai…and when Kawakami-sensei tried to talk to you…and…I don’t know why I remember that time when you got slapped in the face…I don’t know why all of that makes me suffocated. Maybe I don’t…I can’t accept the fact that my friend is a player…? But why do I care!? Even if you are, you’re still my friend, I don’t care! So why does it hurt so much!?”

…

…

Not only it hurts, but as the words leave her, for some reason those walls thicken and surround her. She doesn’t want him to see her or hear her. She doesn’t want to see him, so it’s better if those walls keeps piling and thickening to hide her.

_Hurry up. Let’s hide. Let’s hide. Hurry._

And then like some madman, Ren walks through those walls with an impossibly red face, breaking the contraptions with each of his stomps and just pulls her into a tight hug.

“_Why are you so cute. Goddamn_.” He hisses to her ears as he squeezes her frame.

The walls. He broke them down. And the warmth that surrounds her…Ann realizes that she doesn’t want it away. And it feels painful to know that they’re two different people. Why is that?

“I’m not a player. How did you even get that idea? Did you believe the rumors about me?”

“I’m…” Ann huffs and hides her face into his chest. “At first I didn’t believe it…but I don’t know why it bothers me so much now…”

He squeezes her further, and this kind of squeeze is so warm and comfy, unlike the squeeze of those walls.

“Niijima-senpai asked me to be a pretend boyfriend so she can go around Shinjuku without getting hounded by hosts. Kawakami-sensei was working part-time as a maid and she’s been helping out at home to tutor Futaba. And that lady who slapped me, Takemi-sensei, was my boss, I worked part-time at her place as a tester, and she was mad knowing that I’ve been holding in pain without telling her.”

As she listens to each one of Ren’s explanation, the strange feeling in her chest eases out and is replaced with something refreshing. He smeels like coffee. She’s been to his place a couple times and becomes good friends with Futaba and Sojiro. Sojiro runs a café, and near them is a clinic, and the old man mentions that Ren works part time there. Futaba did say to her that she’s being tutored by a teacher from Shujin and she’s planning to go back to school next year.

“Why did you want to go be a pretend boyfriend with Niijima-senpai so she can go to Shinjuku? Why did she punch you in the gut?”

“Beats me. And the punch was because she found out about my part time as a tester. Senpai was just worried for me. Sojiro beat me up too..." Ren sighs and just drops more of his weight on her. “That was also the most meta-thing I’ve experienced. But just…I was not dating any of them okay?”

“Mm.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Mm-hm.” Ann nods. “Why is that?”

He sighs again before pulling away slightly and presses his lips to her forehead. She feels that place burning, and like wildfire, it spreads to the rest of her face and down to her neck.

“Oh…”

_I…I get it now. So this! This is that! _

Why those walls didn’t exist whenever he’s around her. And why she looks forward to school just so she can have more time to be by his side. How those people in romance movies just feel so happy to be near their beloved. Because even just one more second longer is so precious. She doesn’t hate herself when she’s with him. This feeling…Of wanting to see him happy, and laugh with her…

“I love you!” Ann blurts out in realization. Yes, that’s the thing!

…

Ren’s face just breaks into this expression as if he’s seeing something so lovely that his heart hurt, he pulls her into his arms again.

“I love you, Ann.” He says in return.

And then, she trembles with laughter. He’s suffocating her, but his words makes her feel so happy it hurts.

“…W—no actually—hh—you’re actually killing me—Ren—_Ren!! I can’t breathe! REN!”_

“Hng…I love you, you cute thing how can you be this cute…”

“Ren—I’m dying—“

"That day...After I got fired from the clinic, I was already thinking about going back to my hometown. I used to hated it here. Sometimes...sometimes it felt as if I was going to disappear...but that day you came and give me that umbrella, and I've loved you ever since, Ann."

"...!"

"I was so happy that we're classmates. I'm so happy that I get to look at you right in front of me. Finally for the longest time in Tokyo I can breathe. You have no idea. I thought it was enough that I get to be your friend, being by your side. I was worried that what Ryuji said bothers you...I couldn't take it that you tried to avoid me even for a short time, it suffocates me!"

"Nn. I'm sorry. I guess I was just jealous because I love you." Ann admits with a sheepish smile, and her smile brightens when he pulls away to cup her face. His hands are big, rough and warm.

Though her heart was making her ticklish.

"Jeez! Stop staring at me!" she whines, laughing all the same and flicks his forehead.

He sighs with a lovesick gaze. "What should I do, I'm so happy I feel like my heart is going to burst." he carresses her cheek, and his heart flutters even more when she nuzzles to his hand like a happy cat. "Does this mean...you'll be my girlfriend?"

Ann puffs her cheeks. "No, I won't stand being your girlfriend! We're lovers now." she nods decisively, with her last words saving Ren from the sudden death penalty caused by her first exclamation.

He squeezes her again.

"Hmmghhhphh!"

"You're making me so happy my heart is squeezed! Let me squeeze you!"

~.X.~

Most of the time, people are happy seeing others happy. But there are limits to everything. Sometimes if you see the kind of people who are so happy that they have to boast that they’re happy, you kinda wanna see them _go explode_.

“Oh my! Renren, look at this muffler!” Ann finds cute animal mufflers on a case and looks at each of the models before deciding on a calico-cat muffler and puts it around Ren. “Ah, it looks good on you.”

“You’re cuter.” Ren blurts out.

“Jeez you idiot.” Ann laughs at his strange tendency to fawn over her. “Wait, you said you’re trying to find a new polo, right? Go ahead, I’ll hang around here for a bit.”

“But I want you to choose one for me…” Ren whines, snuggling his face to her hair.

“Ack! Stop eating my hair!”

Whilst the two are busy in their own silly debate within the flower walls of their love, the shop attendant merely let out a quiet sigh as he wishes that all couples can go explode and leave him alone this Christmas.

_It’s bad enough that I’m working today dammit!_

In all honesty, Ren has quite a modest sense of fashion for his daily wear, even though he has fancy taste. As he opens up further, Ann learns that he can be quite boastful and reckless if he sets his mind onto something. It’s kinda similar but also the polar opposite of her, who just doesn’t care about others when she does her own thing. He comes up with a black polo shirt and she gives him the okay.

As a lover, Ren is quite spoiled, even though he wants to spoil her a lot.

_Guess we just like being spoiled and spoiling each other..._

The shop attendant seems to be very glad that they’re out of the shop.

“Here’s for you!” Ann shoves a small bag filled with the calico muffler. He stares at it in awe.

Ren is tight on cash. He works part time a lot but sometimes he’s a big idiot who wants to pamper his girlfriend, he just doesn’t care about buying stuff for himself. One day if she tells him that a crow is white, he’ll say that it is white and will duel anyone who says otherwise. She has to be responsible of his well being and spending sometimes. So Ann, being the daughter of fashion designers, step in to make sure his outfit matches his badboy charm.

Today is an exception. Dating occasion needs to be fluffy, so she gives him fluffy things.

“So where are we going for today, since you found your polo?”

“Ice skating, and then to this bazaar…they’re going to have street snacks from all across the world.”

“Yay! I want hotteok and bingsu! And then I want kanafeh. For dinner I want nasi goreng, and then for after meal snack I want sticky rice mango.”

Ren laughs at her excitement. “Jeez! Where did all those food go, you even have after meal snack.”

Ann laughs proudly. “Of course, they’re all going here.” She points at her chests, and laughs at Ren who facepalms with his face entirely red.

She leans to him as they walk through the crowded Central Street. It’s so strange. It was not even a year since she was counting days for school to end. Now she wishes time would stop and slow down.

_I don’t care. Move however you want. I’m okay now. _


End file.
